Federal Grant Awarded to Relieve Traffic
Last week, Representative John Garamendi made an announcement that our region was awarded a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant of $85.9 million. The money will go toward the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvement Project.
Garamendi calls the traffic bottleneck that occurs on the causeway between West Sacramento and the City of Davis a full-time 24/7 problem. It is no longer limited to commute hours, and therefore steps must be taken to relieve traffic in the area, something civic leaders and Caltrans officials have been advocating for a number of years.
The increase in traffic along the six-lane Yolo Causeway has been caused in part by many residents of the Sacramento metropolitan area taking Bay Area jobs. During peak times, the number of vehicles attempting to traverse the stretch can often be paralyzing. Additionally, the congestion creates environmental concerns.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below, from CBS13, reports on the DOT grant.
What are the Potential Changes Planned?
Representative Garamendi disclosed a big change that will be included as part of the project: toll lanes spanning 17 miles from Sacramento to the Yolo/Solano County line. The stretch will include traditional High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes for cars carrying three or more people. Under discussion, but as yet undecided, there may also be a payment option for those who do not meet those occupancy limits.
The proposed toll lanes would be the first in the Sacramento region. They would span from Davis on Interstate 80 to West El Camino Avenue and I-5 at Highway 50.
How Will Toll Roads Help?
The corridor is heavily used to move freight because it connects the ports of San Francisco and Oakland with the rest of the country. There is also a high level of recreational travel that passes through the stretch, according to the Director for Caltrans District 3. Making drivers pay to use the road could reduce congestion.
Congestion Pricing
Congestion pricing, which is sometimes referred to as value pricing, is a tactic to reduce traffic congestion. Variably priced toll roads reduce traffic that is purely discretionary during peak times. The majority of vehicles on the road during rush hour are not commuters, and adding tolls to the roads will remove some of those discretionary vehicles. Even a reduction of 5% will allow the traffic to flow more efficiently. Under this system, tolls usually vary by time of day.
Other Changes
In addition to HOV and potential toll roads, the project will include the addition of lanes on certain areas of the stretch and the installation of more meters on highway on-ramps.
Project Timeline and Costs
The cost estimate for the entire project, according to officials, ranges from $175 million to $190 million.
It is anticipated that the federal grant will help put the project on the front burner, but according to Caltrans estimates, it is not expected to receive final approval until 2022, and construction is not anticipated to begin until at least 2025.
Winters Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thanks for reading our discussion of the federal grant awarded to the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvement Project. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Winters personal injury lawyer. Areas with significant traffic congestion often are the setting for a large number of automobile accidents, and this stretch of Interstate 80 is no exception. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash caused by another motorist’s negligence, call our injury lawyers for free and friendly advice. Our local number is (530) 392-9400. We also provide a toll-free line if you will be calling from another area within Northern California: (800) 404-5400.
Reviews from many of my prior clients can be found at the following sites:
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/auto-road-jam-park-traffic-pkw-736794/
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